As host of the 2009 Academy Awards, Australian actor Hugh Jackman (right) demonstrated that he was far more than just another pretty face. He had been chosen as People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive the previous November, but in a ceremony that drew rave reviews, he showcased his skills as a premiere song-and-dance man.

The show opened with an elaborately choreographed musical number that paid tribute to each of the best picture nominees. Filled with sly comments about the state of the global economy and self-deprecating humour about the film industry, the routine closed with Jackman declaring, “I’m Wolverine!”—a reference to his character in the X-Men films, the latest of which, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, opens today.